Wood-Fired Baked Potatoes with Rosemary

A baked potato from a pizza oven is something else entirely. The intense dry heat creates a skin that's properly crispy - almost like a thick crisp - while the inside stays fluffy and light. This Italian-style version keeps things simple with rosemary, onion, and good olive oil, and finishes with a blast of high heat at the end to get the edges golden and crackling. It's the kind of side dish that doesn't need much else - just a knob of butter and some salt. Perfect alongside anything that's been roasting in the oven.

Ingredients

• 6 medium potatoes (Maris Piper or King Edward), peeled and cut into wedges
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Preheat your pizza oven. You want the floor at around 170°C (the pyrometer may read higher - 250-300°C at the dome). Steady retained heat is what you're after.
2. Peel the potatoes and cut into even-sized wedges or chunks.
3. Drizzle olive oil into a baking tray. Spread the potatoes in a single layer - don't overcrowd.
4. Scatter the diced onion over the top. Strip the rosemary leaves from the stems and scatter those too. Season generously with salt and pepper, then drizzle with more olive oil.
5. Slide into the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, turning occasionally, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.
6. If the top is browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
7. For the last 2-3 minutes, increase the flame (if gas) or push the embers closer (if wood) to get the edges properly golden and crisp. This final blast makes all the difference.